Dressage - take a risk?

[Evil_Cookie]

Hi guys,

So after an unsuccessful weekend - missing an event due to the combination of a flat tyre, not loading and then jumping out of the box - yes we had it all... But thats another story. I feel we need to get out, down the road from me - 7 miles but hackable, luckily There is an unnafiliated badminton dressage qualifier. I'm thinking of doing the grass roots championship class (prelim 4) , but then what? Theres a pick your own test class and a novice class? My mare is getting better in her flatwork, but novice will be a challenge, let alone the novice 28 test! Eeek, counter canter and med trot! But I know we could give these movements a go, though they may not be the prettiest. Now, do I play safe with the PYOT class and choose a prelim or should I take the risk and do the novice... I'm not going to compete per-se, just going for the experience of getting out and for some marks to improve and work on.

So what do you guys think? Even if she goes and has a fit, it'll still be better money spent than yesterday!

 

[Britestar]

If you have to hack both ways go for 2 prelims that you can both enjoy. If the novice has things that make you go eek give it a miss as she may be a bit tired too.

 

[Lolo]

If all the movements bar the medium trot and counter canter look fine to you, then you'll do no harm trying the novice IMO. Medium trot doesn't have to be extravagant to get an ok mark- from dressage writing, if you really prepare the turn to the medium, and then just ride it as well as you can without hurrying them you'll get a 6, even if the difference is minimal... Counter canter is a bit more cut and dried in terms of "did they do it" but it's what, one movement? Just try your best and let your mare dictate how happy she is with it- you never know, she might surprise you!

Reg is never going to be a dressage diva, but recently Al has gone "feck it" and is pushing him more for those harder movements. Try writing for a judge- you get a real idea of how, generally, they really want to give you the best mark they can.

 

[Evil_Cookie]

So we've chosen to do a Novice test, but not N28 but N27 - not half as bad

Really feel like its the time to push ourselves to try a novice